Skip to main content

The context you need, when you need it

When news breaks, you need to understand what actually matters — and what to do about it. At Vox, our mission to help you make sense of the world has never been more vital. But we can’t do it on our own.

We rely on readers like you to fund our journalism. Will you support our work and become a Vox Member today?

Join now

World Politics Archive

Archives for April 2026

Podcasts
What to know about the Israel-Lebanon conflictWhat to know about the Israel-Lebanon conflict
Podcast
Podcasts

A journalist explains what it’s like in Lebanon right now.

By Avishay Artsy and Sean Rameswaram
Today, Explained newsletter
Trump’s bungled Iran negotiations didn’t have to go this wayTrump’s bungled Iran negotiations didn’t have to go this way
Today, Explained newsletter

Wendy Sherman helped Obama reach a deal with Iran. She sees several areas where Trump is going wrong.

By Caitlin Dewey
Politics
Donald Trump messed with the wrong popeDonald Trump messed with the wrong pope
Politics

Trump fought with Pope Francis before. He’s finding Pope Leo XIV to be a tougher foil.

By Christian Paz
Podcasts
Obama’s top Iran negotiator on Trump’s screwupsObama’s top Iran negotiator on Trump’s screwups
Podcast
Podcasts

Wendy Sherman helped Obama reach a deal with Iran. Here’s what she thinks Trump is doing wrong.

By Kelli Wessinger and Noel King
The Logoff
The new Hormuz blockade, briefly explainedThe new Hormuz blockade, briefly explained
The Logoff

Trump tries Iran’s playbook.

By Cameron Peters
Politics
Everything JD Vance wanted is slipping awayEverything JD Vance wanted is slipping away
Politics

The vice president’s disastrous week reveals that he’s in a trap of his own making.

By Zack Beauchamp
Politics
Donald Trump’s pivot to blasphemyDonald Trump’s pivot to blasphemy
Politics

Attacking the pope and posing as Jesus — even religious conservatives are mad this time.

By Christian Paz
Politics
How MAGA’s favorite strongman finally lostHow MAGA’s favorite strongman finally lost
Politics

Hungarians ousted Viktor Orbán in an election rigged to favor him. It wasn’t easy.

By Zack Beauchamp
The Logoff
Why inflation is upWhy inflation is up
The Logoff

What the Iran war is doing to the economy, briefly explained.

By Cameron Peters
Politics
Did the Trump administration threaten the pope?Did the Trump administration threaten the pope?
Politics

Avignon-gate, the scandal blowing up MAGA-Catholic relations, explained.

By Christian Paz
Podcasts
Pete Hegseth preaches “maximum lethality.” What has that meant in Iran?Pete Hegseth preaches “maximum lethality.” What has that meant in Iran?
Podcast
Podcasts

How Pete Hegseth and Donald Trump are waging war in Iran.

By Ariana Aspuru and Sean Rameswaram
Politics
We have no idea if Iran can still build a bombWe have no idea if Iran can still build a bomb
Politics

The central goal of the war is nowhere near a resolution.

By Joshua Keating
The Logoff
The ceasefire is already getting shakyThe ceasefire is already getting shaky
The Logoff

The status of US-Iran negotiations, briefly explained.

By Cameron Peters
Politics
It should be much easier to remove the president from officeIt should be much easier to remove the president from office
Politics

The 25th Amendment chatter is pointless — but it shouldn’t be.

By Ian Millhiser
Politics
MAGA’s favorite strongman might be on the brink of defeatMAGA’s favorite strongman might be on the brink of defeat
Politics

We’re about to find out whether an authoritarian can lose at the ballot box.

By Zack Beauchamp